Making shoot and see targets

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gsxrdrag

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I was looking to make my own shoot and see targets because the ones at the store are so expensive. Has anyone here made their own targets? I found this website www.visibilitytargets.com and the template idea looks interesting. Any other ideas on how to make them? Thanks.

David
 
I have made them before.

I did not used this method and they did not work very well, or as good as the real ones.
 
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You could always try ebay for some ar500 steel targets. I picked some 6x6 squares up for 12 each. I dont really see the impact, but that sound is better in my opinion.
 
I've done home made ones using cardboard as a base, red spray paint on that, covered that with clear packing tape, and sprayed black paint over that.

Works to a degree, but not great.
 
I haven't heard of this in years, but it's probably still around.
India ink. It's a flat black, brush on coating.
When we were kids, we'd cover a piece of paper with different colored crayons, then coat with the ink, let dry, then scratch designs in the ink allowing the crayon color to show.
Should be available in any craft or art store.
Find some thin, brightly colored plastic and coat.
Found it on Amazon, 16oz for $12
They also have bright colors, pretty pricey, so you could bottom coat anything, like cardboard.
 
I buy a pack of targets that has white background and a few different sized orange stick-on bullseyes from BassPro. The targets have 5 separate bullseyes on it and also has the horizontal and vertical lines every inch. I flip the target over and place several sticky bullseyes on the back. I shoot the same targets at 200 and 300 yards for rifles and 25 yards for pistols. The white paper has great contract for the black bullet holes. You can also see the lines on the other side of the target at 200 yards with a 9 or 10 power scope no problem so you can tell how far off the hits are. No spotting scope needed. These targets are large enough that I put 4 orange bullseyes on it for pistols at 25 yards which makes it easy to compare groups to each other plus a lot less targets to sort through for historical data.
 
myFRAGisFUBAR said:
You could always try ebay for some ar500 steel targets. I picked some 6x6 squares up for 12 each. I dont really see the impact, but that sound is better in my opinion.
Click to expand...
I use AR500 gongs. I painted them black and then spray orange marking paint over top.
 
I was just making some targets today. I use a paper plate with varying sizes of MOA red dots in the center. For me, as long as Im MOA at set distances, I'm A-OK.

Also, came across some 1/2 steel at a fab shop I was doing some work at, and did the same thing as stated above. I spray painted them pumpkin orange, should have no problem picking them up.

A can of spray paint is a must in my range bin, red and orange. It can turn anything you find into a target and touch up steel to see POI.

-Robb
 
You know the little orange stickers they give you with targets to cover up previous shots on a previous shot at target? I take old cardboard, take those little bitty orange stickers that are dime to a quarter size and stick those on the cardboard. That is my target. I shot tight groups on those little orange stickers. I never cover my targets up so over the years I have tons of those little things. Figured I might as well use them. Works great if you can shoot small groups. The only time I don't use these is when I am sighting it. All other times its steel or the little orange stickers.
 
I've been toying with the idea of making my own too. Acrylic paint isn't supposed to stick to oil based that well. I figured I'd spray a piece of cardboard with a bright color of oil based then stencil my favorite silhouette over that with acrylic. I haven't done it yet but if I do, I'll let you know how it works.
 
I'm pretty cheap with targets. Yesterday I shot at the round cardboard thing that comes on the bottom of a frozen pizza with an orange target dot in the middle.

But the steel with the spray paint - I've used that too. It works and it sounds a lot cooler.
 
I like steel targets. Old gas (oxygen) tanks cut in different lengths make great "bells". Steel from old cutting edges (old grader blades, loader bucket edges etc).

Try picking these up from construction equipment dealers or contractors in your area.

Plate racks are gonna cost more than "scrap prices" but they last forever.

Bob

Gas tanks....
orig.jpg

Edges off of large wheel loaders....
large.jpg

Some new ones to hang....
medium800.jpg

orig.jpg
 
Looked at the OP's link, the spray paint template is only going for $21.99... I think you should just pony up this cash instead of spending too much time & money trying to make a custom one.

Personally, I just use those orange peel-n-stick stickers like everyone else does.
 
Thanks for all the input. I'm going to get one of the templates from this site www.visibilitytargets.com and make some. I think it will work on my steels to make a good bullseye and cross hairs when I spray paint them. Ill let you all know how it works once i get it.
 
I buy the 6" Shoot N See targets in the packs of 60. I've bought them for as little as $10 but they go for about $13 at my local gun shop. I believe the price has gone up though like everything else gun related. I haven't looked for them for quite a while because I have so many laying around I won't need to buy more for 10 years. I shoot the dots as separate targets also. If you put them on a light background they make excellent targets for 50 yards. Here's a couple of them I shot 3 times at and one I shot at 5 times. These were at 50 yards. They show up very well like this. I also make several targets out of each 6" target by shooting at the numbers that show what ring you're hitting. That or I'll just shoot a hole and then aim at it 4 times for a group. It's easy to make those targets go a long way like that.

groups.jpg
Jun%206%202010%2050%20yard%205%20shot%20group%20b.JPG
 
Ks5shooter said:
60 6 inch for 21 bucks shipped why make them
Click to expand...

I still see them for less than that in the gun shops around my area. Buying the small packages they are expensive but these bigger packs make the price a whole lot easier to swallow.
 
I use notebook paper with either those orange pasties or I'll just draw a vertical and horizontal line with a box where they intersect. I've never been a huge fan of those shoot and see targets because I've always shot better by not seeing, besides they're too expensive to shoot all the time with them. It adds up quick.
 
I mainly use them for shooting rifles (or pistols) that don't have scopes. It's easy to see where you hit with a decent scope but with iron sights it's another thing entirely. I use my swinging steel targets too but I've shot them so much the target breaks off and I end up shooting the stub that attached the round part to the frame. Those things will spin like crazy. But if I want to see how I'm grouping without using another scope on another rifle to check my groups I'll use the Shoot N See. Yeah I could get a spotting scope but a few of those targets go a long way IMO. I basically am just checking how to aim a rifle without a scope when I use them. I will use the pasters to try to get good groups with a scope I guess.
 
Seems like a lot of work, the ready made sticky ones aren't that expensive. If I'm taking out spray paint it is going to be for steel.

I notice you have 3 posts and you mention the same website in all 3. Do you have some sort of affiliation with that company?
 
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